Lentil Dumpling Curry / Paruppu Uranda Kuzhambu

What is Lentil Dumpling Curry/ Urunda Kuzhambu?

My mom makes one of the best tasting urunda kuzhambu. Uranda in Tamil means balls and kuzhambu is curry. Urunda kuzhambu is a spicy tangy curry made with lentil dumplings.  We soak the Chana dal (Split Bengal Gram) for a couple of hours and grind it with aromatic spices. We then shape it into dumplings and cook these in a spicy tangy curry. Each household has a different way of making these but did I say my mom and grandma make the most delicious ones.

I called up my mom this morning to go over the recipe since I have tried so many variations. But this time I wanted to try my mom’s original recipe, which she learnt from her mom. It’s hard to get an exact recipe from mom, because like all Indian moms, she tends to skip the basics so I had to ask very specific questions tactically to extract all her secrets. And also she never gives any measurements, it’s all about eye balling and intuition, but I have made that easier for you with exact measurements. I am happy to report that this Kozhambu did turn out just like I remember from my childhood days and this also happens to be my daughter’s favorite. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree! This recipe is Plant-Based Whole30 compatible. The plant based Whole30 is a plant-based version of the original 30-day Whole30 reset. It is designed for vegans, vegetarians and those that are curious about adopting a plant-based diet. Check out the link for more details.

Making the Lentil Dumpling Curry

The urundai/ dumplings are made with washed and soaked chana dal, herbs and spices and dropped into the tangy curry once its fully cooked, and the curry comes to a rolling boil. And mom says the urundai / dumplings float to the top once they are cooked. And that’s your sign to switch off the stove. And true to her words, they did float up. That was a new tip for me this time ! This way you don’t end up over cooking them and making them hard.
In the traditional way this recipe is made with kozhambu podi, which is a blend of spices. I’ll share the recipe details for the spice blend if you would like to try the authentic way. I have provided the simple option as well here which is to use Sambar powder or just a few simple Indian spices. Here’s a quick video of the recipe. Check out the detailed recipe below.

Other Plant Based/ Vegan Recipes on our Blog

Plant Based “Keema” and Peas

Peas and Peppers Stir Fry

Eggplants in a Tomato Curry

Butternut Squash Soup

Lentil Dumplings Curry / Paruppu Urunda Kuzhambu

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Indian

Servings 0

Ingredients

  

For the dumplings

• 3/4 cup Chana dal (Split Bengal Gram)
• 1-3 dry red chilli
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 inch peeled ginger
• A pinch of asafetida (Optional) skip this if you are doing the whole30 as it might contain traces of gluten

Add ons to the dumplings

• 1/2 finely chopped onion
• 2-3 green chillies finely chopped
• 10 curry leaves finely chopped
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 3/4 tsp salt

For the kozhambu/curry

• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• A small handful of curry leaves
• 1/2 onion thinly sliced
• 1 tomato diced
• 1 cup of tamarind juice from 1 small ball of tamarind
• 1-2 tsp red chilli powder
• 3 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tbsps of Kozhambu powder spice blend (optional) Instead of this spice blend, you can also use Sambhar powder
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk canned

Kozhambu Spice blend recipe (Optional)

• 20 dry red chilli
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp toor dal
• 1 tbsp chana dal
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds

Instructions

 

Making the lentil dumplings

• Place all the ingredients in the "For the dumplings" section in a blender or food processor and pulse a few times. The dal/lentil should still be coarse and can have some whole pieces of lentil too. Once pulsed, add the ingredients in the "Add ons to dumplings" like the onion, curry leaves, cilantro and green chillies to the ground chana dal
• Shape them into small balls for the dumplings

Remaining recipe steps

• Optional step – For the Kozhambu spice blend dry roast all the ingredients in a pan and grind it to a powder. You can skip this step if you don't want to make this spice blend.
• In a pan heat up the oil and add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter.
• Add the cumin and fennel seeds and let them bloom
• Add the curry leaves and then the onions and fry them till they turn translucent
• Add the tomatoes and let them soften
• Add the turmeric, chilli and coriander powder.
• If you have made the Kozhambu spice blend or you have Sambhar powder, you can add it at this point. These are optional.
• Sauté till the spices smell fragrant.
• Add the tamarind juice and 2 cups of water
• Let it all boil till the onion and tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add the dumplings to the cooked onion and tomato curry while it’s still boiling. Make sure to space the dumplings so that they don’t sit on each other or overcrowd in the curry.
• Let the dumplings cook in the curry. They will start floating up once fully cooked.
• Once all the dumplings start floating, add the coconut milk and let it slightly boil.
• Switch off and garnish with cilantro and curry leaves.
• They taste delicious with a steaming bowl of rice or cauli rice for the Plant Based whole30 option

Notes

You can mix up the dumplings mix and keep aside before starting the curry process

Make sure to pulse the chana dal, and to keep the mix coarse, a few whole pieces or roughly minced chana dal is desired. A smooth mix will alter the taste and texture of the dumplings.

Make the dumplings small so that they can soak up the flavours from the curry.

Don’t overcrowd the dumplings in the curry. Choose a bigger pot accordingly.

For the tamarind juice soak the tamarind in hot water for 15 minutes and squeeze it to separate the juice from it. Discard the fibrous part of the tamarind.

You can also use tamarind concentrate by diluting it with water

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!